May 19, 2007
Canvassing For Obama In New Hampshire
MANCHESTER, NH - Officially, the event held in a large, muddy parking lot north of the city was called a statewide grassroots canvas. Unofficially, let's call it the first of many "Saul Alinsky" days. Alinsky is the legendary organizer and theorist who Barack Obama reportedly counts as an inspiration. Heck, the journalist who wrote The Essay on Obama and Saul Alinsky -- The New Republic's Ryan Lizza -- was there.
To "canvass," means to go house-to-house and collect something. Today, Obama's team is collecting signatures to to pressure Sens. Gregg and Sununu to end the war in Iraq. Unoffiically, the event serves another,more Alinskian purpose. There are so many Obama volunteers statewide that the campaign itself cannot accomodate all the solicited help. So today's event is a place-holder of sorts, a way for those thousands of volunteers to invest their time for Obama's greater cause. The canvass cements their link to Obama by appealing to another part of their political self-interest.
A side benefit: big early grassroots events impress reporters. I was impressed.
A campaign spokesperson said that about 550 NH Dems shrugged off the rain and chilly weather to attend. Jim Demers, Obama's state co-chair, said he's never seen a canvass this large, this early. It's the first major canvass of the cycle in New Hampshire, we think.
A side benefit of today's war canvass: all the names collected will be entered into a database, and Obama's phone bank volunteers might just call to follow up.
A side note: Obama stopped by unannounced to Manchester's two famous political diners: the Red Arrow and the Merricmack. We're no Frank Bruni, but we'd recommend the Red Arrow.
Pictures of this morning's canvass kick-off follow.
Posted at 10:55 AM
Comments
You guys are wrong. HRC had a major canvass last Saturday. It was her statewide Day of Action. She beat Obama by a week.
Mike | 05.19.07 12:38 PM
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I was one of the people canvasing in NH...From what I heard from others and from my own impressions it was a huge success. The speech by Obama was phenomenal and I was surprised by the fact that he seemed even better with a small group than when I recently saw him in a 5,000+ event in Boston. It really made us passionate about campaigning. We spent about 3 and a half hours canvasing, and I know I personally knocked on 40+ doors and spoke to about 25 households, so when you multiply that by 550 it really starts to add up. Most people were reluctant to say they endorsed any particular candidates, but the two issues of the day seem to definetly be the War and Health Care...
symphonyofdissent | 05.20.07 03:42 PM
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I would make note that the 550 volunteers where not all NH Dems - they were 550 Obama supporters from all over New England - so to say that are all NH Dems is a bit misleading.
DuncanB | 05.20.07 04:54 PM
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Oooooh! "Alinskian" used correctly and in context. Awesome!
But what would Saul have made of today's political climate, much less today's political technology? This is, after all, the time of "bowling alone," rather than Saul's day. Has Matt Reese, the grandfather of modern targetting, had his day and Saul, the grandfather of modern canvassing, returned?
I set out to comment on needing more information, but I read the article again, and there's a ton of data here, lurking below the surface. And a ton of questions: can Obama's people mesh the old, proven shoe-leather techniques with today's technology? Appears to be their aim. Or is their aim just to show that their man is "different" because he's doing the same old thing?
Even if it doesn't work, it shows some interesting spin from the campaign on an old and still very common technique.
pining for chuck todd | 05.21.07 09:12 AM
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I was in Manchester on May 19th.......I am from New York State along with others. I am so impressed with Senator Obama. I trust him and his integrity. Listening to him confirmed for me that he truly is the real deal and that experience is not the most important thing. It's the willingness and intelligence to surround yourself by other intelligent, honest people whom you can trust to advise you well. Also, the characteristic of admitting when you've made a mistake, fixing it and moving on. All of those attributes are missing in today's administration. I am 60 years old and am moved to do something to try to take us back to the values that I loved about this country when I was growing up.
Jackie | 05.21.07 12:51 PM
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It's kindof confusing to see Hillary up in the polls when Obama seem to be pulling such huge support. Are the polls right and Obama only drawing the curious, or, are the Obama crowds real support and the polls wrong? These volunteers who came out despite the weather seem passionate. I wait anxously to see who get's the upperhand. I think Obama would be historic like Kennedy but will this country give him the chance to prove it?
Delly | 05.21.07 06:27 PM
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Bravo! this is the way to go to remember people that we, the voters have the power to cause good changes for this country for our children and grandchildren to live in peace and to concentrate in real issues that affect this country. Barack Obama is the only hope of true change and unity in this country unlike any other candidate. Congratulations to the people of Manchester NH.
Berta A. | 05.26.07 09:32 PM
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